Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Elitist Hermione follows her hobbit father into a slightly less animated re-imagined adventure. Book-smarts bring beastiality to beauty’s brain, playing perfectly into Princely prick’s quest to pursue a tail as young as possible. Meanwhile no one sings like Gaston, though Gad spells disastter in Evans’ efforts to ring a Belle.

Mockingjay: Part 1

Expository non-plot hardly whistles by as the capital pays the bird to remain flightless in the hopes of raking in more Pan-Emerican dollars.  Meanwhile the rebels leak a host of nude photos to raise public awareness, while Gale gets stormier, Peeta gets thinner, and Julianne regrets not making better contacts.

Spotlight

All the Pope’s Men is a witty and well-paced look into the world of investigative journalism. Keaton and his birdlings masterfully match their real-world counterparts as they delve into emotional territory with appropriate tact and objectivity.  Though Mystic Zodiac is no mystery, it manages to hold viewers in incredible suspense.

The Wind Rises

Miyazaki rises down to Earth in his exceptionally realist rendition of Grave of the Fighter Jets.  Dream sequences justify animated medium, and stunning visuals keep an otherwise slow story from crashing and burning.  Lacks magic of previous ghiblets but presents colorful alternative perspective on oft generalized black and white history.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Apparently the game-makers caught and fired whoever did the Shakicam to part 1, because this sequel is well choreographed and crisply shot.  With deeper character development, larger cast, and imaximum number of digital tricks, the only thing extinguishing this fire’s sure victory is a twisty spoiler of a ship-sized plothole.